Rhys Williams back with Boro

Rhys Williams 93-day emergency loan period expired on Monday and the defender has now returned to Middlesbrough.The 20-year-old Wales U-21 international arrived on an emergency loan from Boro at the end of January and played 17 games for the Clarets. However he will now miss the Clarets play-off two-leg semi-final against Reading despite the best efforts of Owen Coyle to appeal to the Football League in an attempt to extend the loan.

This is bad news for the Clarets and Owen Coyle. The gaffer had already tried one attempt with the Football League to overturn the emergency loan ruling before we knew for sure we would make the play offs.

After qualifying for the play-offs last Sunday, Owen Coyle indicated he would try a further appeal but this also appears to have failed.

Boro gaffer,Gareth Southgate said:

'Rhys has had a very successful time at Burnley and it is unfortunate that Burnley are unable to extend the loan at this stage. However, we are delighted to have Rhys back in the squad for our final three matches of the season.'

You know sometimes these petty,pathetic rules are just crazy and it is about time common sense prevailed in these situations.

Here we have a situation where both clubs would have agreed to extending the loan but the jobsworth at the Football League are being totally inflexible.

Thanks a bunch. At least we do have some cover in this area but we will now have to change a settled side for our most important matches of the decade.

Michael Duff will be waiting in the wings and must be favourite to take over the right back role although if Carlisle fails to recover from the leg injury he picked up against Bristol City on Sunday, Duff might be more suited to the central role with Alexander reverting to right back.

Oh well,good luck for the future Rhys and many thanks for entertaining the Clarets fans during your time at Turf Moor.

Vital Burnley thanks Burnley FC for the use of the photograph

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Your Comments (oldest first)

Thouroughly disgusted with the FL. Extending the loan would not have made any difference in the great scheme of things so why do they always take the easy option and say no? Pathetic ruling and I bet if this had happened to a Man U player (not that they loan any players) we would have seen a different outcome

Thouroughly disgusted with the FL. Extending the loan would not have made any difference in the great scheme of things so why do they always take the easy option and say no? Pathetic ruling and I bet if this had happened to a Man U player (not that they loan any players) we would have seen a different outcome

To be honest, I dont think that the FL had any choice but to turn down our appeal. It may a a bit of a daft rule - but if they changed it for this game, it would open up a can of worms and the 3 month loan would basically go out of the window!

Disagree Dale, surely if you secure a loan at the end of January, you could make a simple rule change to the effect that the loan can be extended if the club loaning players reach the play-offs and the clubs that have loaned them out agree to extension?

Coyle: "We are disappointed to lose Rhys, but we knew when we took him on loan there was always the chance that would be the case. We asked for it to be a standard loan which would have taken it to the end of the play-offs and Middlesbrough wanted a recall option in there which is why we had to take him on an emergency loan or not at all.With that there was a maximum of 93 days, but because of the belief I had in the team I wrote a letter to the FA asking the question two months ago. I didn't want that to seem cocky or pre-emptying anything, but I believed in this group of players and so it's proved.We heard back though and there was no precedent for such a thing, it had to be 93 days.I think Rhys knew himself he wouldn't be able to extend his loan, but it's hard to take because he has been a terrific part of what we have been doing. He was in on Tuesday to see the lads and trained away and he will be back on Saturday to watch the game. I think that sums up the spirit and camaraderie in the squad. Rhys has been a terrific player for us and I've no doubts he will go on to be a top player in the Premiership.It presents another opportunity for somebody to step in though and we've done that all season. Whoever comes in will be ready and they will give everything they can to try and win games for the football club."

We will have to hope Carlisle gets fit along with Elliott as well! "Clarke Carlisle and Wade Elliott are concerns at the moment, but I am hoping they will be able to train on Friday," said Coyle.
Our back four may have to be Alexander, Duff,Caldwell, Kalvenes with maybe Gudjonsson in holding role and McDonald in for Elliott. Another alternative, could be Duff at right back and Jordan in centre, with Alexander in holding midfield

Please note the Editorial comments and opinions on this site are the personal views of the Editor and should not be construed in any way to be representative of those of other Clarets organisations of which he belongs e.g. Clarets Trust. This applies to both the front page articles and posts in any of the forums.

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